Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activity of a Herbomineral Aminoacid Extract on Diabetic Rats of Wistar Strain

The objective of this study was to investigate the single dose antioxidant and antidiabetic effect of a herbomineral amino acid extract (HMAA) of Spinacia oleracea on alloxan induced diabetic rats. In the present study, the animals were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 – Normal saline as vehicle –control, Group 2 – Untreated diabetic rats (Alloxan induced), Group 3 – Animals treated with Metformin (0.5 mg/kg) – standard drug, Group 4 – Animals treated with Extract alone, Group 5 – Animals treated with Herbal + Mineral, Group 6 – Animals treated with Herbal + Mineral + Amino Acid. Based on the oxidative stress hypothesis of alloxan action, the role of herbal extract on free radicals in the pathology of diabetes mellitus has been studied in diabetic nephropathy rats. The present study demonstrated that herbal extract in the presence of an aminoacid (L-Arginine, 0.1 mM) and mineral (Zn+, in the form of Zinc Sulphate, 0.5 mM) was found to be a potent antioxidant and on alloxan induced diabetes. Further, the data suggested that the mechanism underlying such protection is mediated via restoration of antioxidant status leading to normalization of the diabetic rats. SURESH KUMAR KARRI Department of Pharmacology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu,